


Eyes on the Stars

by Freakierthanthou



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alien Sex, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Arranged Marriage, Identity Porn, Kink Meme, M/M, Space Politics, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:54:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freakierthanthou/pseuds/Freakierthanthou
Summary: When Nicolò di Genova learns that his wealthy parents intend to marry him off to the heir to The Company, Yusuf al-Kaysani, he needs a distraction. And the perfect person to take his mind off scheming families and arranged marriages is Joe, a friendly stranger at a party.Also, it's in space.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 44
Kudos: 420





	Eyes on the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> The original prompter did say that this prompt could be rewritten for a historical or even sci-fi au, which apparently my brain decided to take as a challenge. 
> 
> Huge thanks to the [Disaster Immortals](https://discord.gg/PrB5Qxs) Discord server for the inspiration and encouragement, especially Book, to whom every sex scene in this disaster fic is dedicated.

Nile picked up on the first ping of the comm channel, which was just one of many reasons why Nicky adored her. 

“Nicolò, how are you?” Her voice was tinny through the subspace connection, but it was clear. 

“Where are you?” Nicky asked, rather than answering directly.

“In transit.” There was a moment where she glanced away from the screen to talk to someone else, possibly Andy, and then she turned back. “About three hours out. What’s up?”

“Do you have fuel for another jump?”

Nile was nudged aside before she could answer. “Nico, are you alright?” Andy’s face filled the screen, too close for comfort. Nicky waited for Nile to pull her back. 

“My parents have decided that the ball tonight is an excellent time for me to find a husband,” Nicky said dryly. “A specific one. Apparently the Al-Kaysanis are going to be there, and the heir is unpromised. A connection to The Company could give my mother the relevance she needs for her political career.” 

“Have you looked him up?” Andy asked. “This heir?”

Nicky shook his head. “I haven’t bothered,” he said. “He’s probably ninety years old and been divorced three times. Or he’s twelve and his family will expect me to live like a monk for the next eight to ten years and then wile away the rest of my days waiting on him hand and foot.”

“To be fair, you did almost become a monk,” Nile pointed out.

He glared at her. “A priest, and it’s the principle of the thing. Anyway, Quynh’s got something going on just two systems over. Come pick me up and we’ll sneak out together.” 

“Nicky, you’re a grown-ass man, we’re not _sneaking out_ ,” Nile protested. 

“Quynh’s parties are always much more interesting than your parents’,” Andy mused. Nile sighed, recognizing when she was overruled. 

“You just want to see your girlfriend again,” she complained, but there was no heat behind it. 

**

The party was in full swing by the time Yusuf and Booker arrived, so colorful that it hurt his eyes to look around the room. It was little more than a basement bunker, but the walls were covered with holograms, giant pixellated dancers, making it look not only bigger but infinitely stranger. The current fashions were for bright colors, tall hair, and neon eyes, and all of these were on full display here. Booker got them both drinks, then started scanning the room for Quynh. 

“How much money do you owe her, anyway?” Yusuf asked. 

“More than I have,” Booker said grimly. He spotted her, talking with a tall white woman Yusuf didn’t recognize, and downed his drink in one gulp, visibly steeling himself. “I’m going in,” he said. 

“Good luck!” Yusuf called, and headed out towards the dance floor.

He managed a brief distraction with a beautiful young woman who was called away by a friend, and Yusuf hoped that he wasn’t imagining her reluctance to leave. Booker grinned when he slunk back to the drinks table. 

“Struck out?” 

Yusuf made a face at him. “You presume that dancing is a game and sex is the prize,” he said. “Sometimes a beautiful dance partner is its own reward. I’m here to enjoy myself.”

“Funny, I thought we were here to avoid your father trying to set you up with some heiress.”

“Heir, actually,” said Yusuf miserably. “I think rich men are even worse than rich women. Especially the old money snobs.” He finished his drink and let his eyes wander the room. Nearby, Quynh was making out with the woman she'd been talking to earlier, while her friend Nile was ignoring them in favor of a spirited debate with someone Yusuf didn’t recognize about whether Kaflians were a hostile alien race or just shy. He was distracted from that conversation when his eyes landed on a man on the far side of the party, who looked away quickly when he saw Yusuf watching. 

He nudged Booker, indicating the man with his chin. Booker sighed. “You’ve found your distraction, I take it?” 

“Don’t dehumanize him,” Yusuf chided. He inspected the snack table behind him and found a row of frozen treats, bypassing the laced ones (thank space god for Quynh believing in clear labeling) and selecting a rainbow obelisk one that glowed faintly. He grinned. “Watch this.”

“Seriously?” 

Booker looked annoyed as Yusuf unwrapped the popsicle, then wrapped first his lips, then his tongue, around it, enjoying the feel of the cold against his lips as he moved it in and out. 

“He just saw me dancing with a truly gorgeous woman. I’d like this mystery man to know that my interests do not preclude him.”

Booker muttered a curse, but it was worth it when Yusuf looked up and saw the man looking directly at him. He was handsome, with brown hair just a little too flat to be fashionable, and a thick leather bracelet around one wrist. Yusuf made eye contact and winked, pushing the popsicle far enough into his mouth that it brushed the back of his throat. The man put his own drink hard enough that Yusuf was pretty sure he could hear it from across the room, and made his way towards them. He stopped when his toes were nearly touching Yusuf’s.

“Hello,” he said.

Yusuf licked the popsicle again, never once looking away. “Hello,” he replied, unable to keep the smile out of his voice. 

The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and completely at odds with his environment, from his (apparently unmodified) dark blue eyes to his simple gray shirt that looked soft enough that Yusuf wanted to bury his face in it. (The chest underneath it, if his arms were anything to go by, would not discourage him.)

He was preparing his answers to the small talk questions he expected when the man held out a hand. “Dance?”

Yusuf looked at him, then at his hand, then back to his eyes, then handed Booker his popsicle without looking away. “Sure,” he said, smiling, and let himself be led onto the dance floor. 

The stranger was magnetic, confident in his movements, almost gentlemanly in the placement of his hands, even when Yusuf wished he would be a little more scandalous. He let his partner lead for one dance before he turned himself around so that they were facing each other, chests brushing, and, taking the man’s wrists, feeling the cool leather under his palms, and placed them lower on his back than he had dared.

“Oh, is that how it’s going to be?” The man looked amused, but not opposed. 

“Unless you object?”

His dance partner used his superior height to maneuver Yusuf towards the edge of the dance floor. “Not in the least,” he said. 

Before Yusuf knew it, he was up against a wall, long arms bracketing him, being kissed within an inch of his life. 

*

“I should tell you,” Nicky said, breaking off the kiss, although he didn’t quite pull away, “I’m not looking for anything serious.” 

The other man huffed out a laugh that Nicky could feel against his cheek. “Neither am I,” he said. “Just a distraction.” He kissed Nicky again. 

“Exactly.” Nicky kissed him. “A distraction. That’s what I need.” 

The man laughed again. “Bad breakup?”

“Something like that.” Actually, Nicky thought, the bad breakup was about five to ten years in the future, when this arranged marriage to some rich twat he’d never met inevitably crumbled and whatever prenuptial agreement their parents came to agreed that they’d been married long enough. Not that he was about to explain all this to a stranger. 

“I’m Joe, by the way,” said the man, who was currently using their positions to his advantage to kiss the underside of Nicky’s neck. 

It must have been that tactic (neck kisses always made him melt) that had Nicky gasping out “Nico” in return. Normally, he told strangers his name was Nick, and left it at that. Not that too many people associated his preferred name with his father’s money or his mother’s politics, but it never hurt to be careful. Nick, Nicky, Nicholas- it was all the same. Not quite Nicolò di Genova, but close enough that he would respond to it. Nico, though, only his family and a few close friends ever called him that. 

Still, it was too late now. Nothing convinced someone that you were using a fake name more than changing the name you gave them. And Joe seemed pretty pleased with it, murmuring “Nico” into the crook of his neck, in a way that made Nicky groan. 

“I’m assuming it wouldn’t be presumptuous to ask you to come back to my hotel room?” Joe asked. 

“Not in the least,” said Nicky. He sent a quick comm to Nile, warming her that he wasn’t coming back, although he doubted she would expect him to.

Joe picked up an unmanned transport and programmed in the destination before sliding onto the same seat as Nicky did. 

“So do you come to Quynh’s parties often?” he asked. 

“We could do small talk, or you could kiss me,” Nicky pointed out, and Joe obliged. 

**

His new companion didn’t seem too interested in chatting, so Joe put his mouth to better use, licking and biting along his jawline, sucking the side of his neck, and kissing every part of him that he could reach, until Nico was desperate. And then, of course, the transport, a little horse and buggy style flying robot, which used the Company’s mapping technology because of course it did, pulled up in front of the hotel. Yusuf vaguely imagined that his father was controlling the speeds from home just to cockblock him, and frankly, the fact that this wasn’t impossible was just annoying. 

Still, he checked into the hotel, made his way up to a room, and did his best to put the Company, his family, and that old money recluse out of his mind. 

Nico, at least, seemed very inclined to help with that. Yusuf had always had a thing for tall men, and Nico used his height to his full advantage, tilting Yusuf’s chin up to face him, crowding him against walls and doors, and finally lifting him up with surprising strength to deposit him on the bed. Yusuf wondered if Nico could fuck him against a wall, and groaned at the thought. 

Nico climbed onto the bed, holding himself over Yusuf, and grinned before ducking his head down to kiss him again. Their hands were fumbling together at their clothes, and it didn’t take long before they heard the fabric rip. 

“Whoops,” Nico said. He looked down, spotting the tear in Yusuf’s shirt. 

“I’ll get a new shirt, just take your pants off,” Yusuf panted. 

Nico complied, although he did say “it’s my fault, I’ll replace it.” 

Yusuf kissed him rather than get into a further argument about it. They were all teeth and tongues, hard and wanting, Nico’s big hand wrapped around both of their cocks while Yusuf sucked on his tongue. Nico wasn’t just jerking them, he was doing something with his fingers to the underside of Yusuf’s cock that made his toes actually curl when he came, his hips lifting up off the mattress of their own accord. Nico was still hard, so he kissed along his jaw, rutting against him despite his own sensitivity, until the taller man groaned against him and stiffened. 

It took Yusuf a moment to catch his breath. Nico dropped down beside him, panting. They lay together like that for several long moments before Yusuf’s mind wandered to his intended future husband, wondering if, if they actually were to get married, he would ever have sex like this again. He got up, rather abruptly, and grabbed a wet washcloth, bringing one over to the bed for Nico as well. 

“How are you feeling?” Yusuf asked, because he was nothing if not a gentleman. 

Nico smiled at him. “Excellent, if a little disappointed that it’s over.” 

And no, that wouldn’t do at all. “Do you have somewhere to be?” Yusuf challenged, on an impulse. “Because I have this room booked all night.”

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” Nico sat up, still soft, but with a grin on his face. 

“I don’t know, is it?” 

Nico grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him back onto the bed, kissing him soundly. 

Neither of them was in a rush, not like they had been in the transport. They made out for what felt like hours, kissing gently, then roughly, then gently again, legs tangling together. The lack of urgency brought on some sort of tenderness that felt completely at odds with the one night stand distraction from his problems, but Yusuf ignored that. Nico moved against him, running his hands up and down his chest.

“Let me guess, you’re a pianist in your daily life?” Yusuf teased. 

Nico laughed and ducked his head, cheeks pink. “No, I just have big hands.”

“The piano world will never know its loss,” Joe teased, kissing the hands in question. He sucked one long finger into his mouth, enjoying the feeling of Nico’s cock slowly hardening against his thigh. 

“I want you to fuck me,” Nico said seriously.

Yusuf couldn’t resist the whine that came out in response to that, both at the thought of feeling Nico around him, and at the thought of missing out on the reverse.

“Oh, I’m definitely going to fuck you,” Yusuf said. “I _have_ been dreaming about you fucking me against the wall, though.”

“Dreaming?” Nico teased. “For how long?” 

“My entire life,” said Yusuf, mock-seriously. He let Nico suck on his fingers before drifting them down between his legs to toy with him. “I’ve been seeking out the man in these prophetic dreams since I can remember. Imagine my delight when I finally found you.” 

Nico laughed, and his laugh turned to a gasp when one of Yusuf’s fingers entered him. “Well, I feel special,” he said, a breathy laugh.

“You should.” Yusuf couldn’t resist kissing him again, which Nico returned happily. 

Yusuf had a lube packet in his pocket, never unprepared, and once the spit-slicked fingers became too much, he flipped Nico over onto his back and pulled out the lube, fingering him in earnest. The little noises that Nico made when his knuckles brushed against the rim were rapidly waking Yusuf’s cock. Yusuf sucked a kiss against his inner thigh, making Nico buck his hips up like he was fucking the air. 

“Please, please, fuck me,” Nico demanded. 

Laughing a little at his desperation, Yusuf rolled on a condom. “You sure you’re ready?” he teased. 

Nico sat up and glared at him. “Joe.” 

The pseudonym was like a slap in the face. This man didn’t know him, Yusuf remembered. He leaned in to hide his reaction, kissing Nico’s neck, and entered him. And if the name Nico had called was like splashing cold water across his chest, the feeling of Nico clenching around him was… well, whatever the opposite was. Yusuf was a little preoccupied. He leaned forward, long, slow thrusts eliciting gasps and groans from Nico, who reached up to clasp a hand in his hair. 

At Nico’s urging, Yusuf picked up the pace, his hips moving in short, shallow bursts, as Nico rose up with each thrust to meet him. He was vaguely aware that he was babbling praise into Nico’s neck, but he wasn’t quite tracking the words he was saying. Nico ground back against him, clenching hard, making Yusuf choke, forgetting anything he had been saying. 

He felt a strong arm around his back, and Nico used his hand in his hair to maneuver Yusuf’s head off his neck so that he could kiss him. He bit down on Yusuf’s lower lip, and Yusuf exclaimed. His hips stuttered as he came, Nico tightening around him as he was pushed over the edge. 

It took a moment for Yusuf to come down. He realized he had collapsed onto Nico, and rolled off, pulling out as he did so with a quiet apology. 

“Holy shit,” Nico responded, almost reverently. Yusuf glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows in question. “I don’t think I’ll ever walk again,” he explained. 

Yusuf laughed. “The feeling is mutual,” he said. It took a moment of laying there for him muster up the energy to tie off the condom and drop it in the bin. When he returned, Nico had rolled onto his side, facing him, and his expression was so wide and unguarded that Yusuf didn’t think twice before crawling back into bed and pulling the blanket up around them both.

“Thank you,” Nico said, tugging at the edge of the blanket. “Always good to see a man who appreciates getting cozy.” 

“It’s my deepest desire.”

Nico took that as an invitation to snuggle closer against him. Yusuf didn’t protest. 

“Where did you learn to fuck like that, anyway?” Nico asked. “Because that was incredible.”

“College, actually,” Yusuf said, honestly.

Nico raised his eyebrows. “Did you major in sex?”

“Business, unfortunately. My parents wanted me to find a respectable career.” Managing The Company, but he didn’t say that. “No, actually, I learned it from my first roommate. He was a terrible influence and an excellent educator. He also taught me how to brew Andosian ale, and a card trick that I was foolish enough to show my younger sister, who is now a truly ruthless card shark. Ironically enough, he’s a teacher now, although I think his students learn more physics and less… well, that.” 

When Nico huffed out a laugh, Yusuf glanced over at him. “What about you? That dance at the party was incredible.”

“My grandmother was a Chelosian dancer,” Nico said. “She started teaching me when I was a little boy, bored at family gatherings. Whenever the adults started talking, I’d wander off and she’d take my hand and dance with me until I started falling asleep.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “If I could grow up to be like any of my family, it would be her.” 

“I’m not sure who I would pick,” Yusuf said. “My family is…” how to explain the cutthroat world of the Company. “They’re very ambitious, but we have very different values, I would say.”

“What about your sister?” Nico asked. “The card shark?”

“Amira’s pretty kickass,” Yusuf admitted. “Even though she’s younger, I’ve always been a little jealous of how cool she is, to be honest.”

“I think you’re pretty cool,” Nico said. Yusuf grinned. 

They eventually migrated out onto the balcony, looking at the lights of the city below, and sharing a bottle of champagne. Yusuf put up the dimming field around them, blocking out most of the lights.

“I never get to see the stars,” he explained, when Nico looked puzzled. “I live in the city, and I’m always so busy doing something else, I never take the time to just… dim the rest of the world and look.”

Nico sighed, curling up against him, and looking up at the sky. His long fingers traced lines between the lights. “Do you ever think about what people in ancient times used to think the stars were? The stories they told themselves? I think about that a lot.” 

“That one looks like an otter,” Yusuf said, and was delighted when that got a laugh out of Nico. 

After a moment, though, Nico sobered. “The Kaflians used to believe that the stars were our departed ancestors looking down on us,” he said. “Some humans believed that they could grant wishes.” 

“You know Kaflian legends?” Yusuf hadn’t thought this man could be more interesting than he already was. 

“I studied mythology in college,” said Nico. “We had a comparative stories of origin class that got into alien cultures a bit.”

“Lucky,” Yusuf said, not trying to hide his envy. “Our nearest galactic neighbors and we know so little about them.” His father had even mentioned something about trying to expand The Company’s reach into Kafllia… and here he was thinking about his family again. 

As if he could sense his tension, Nico rolled over, tangling his fingers in Yusuf’s hair. “I’d rather get to know you,” he said. And from there, the rest of the conversation was mostly just kissing.

**

Nicky snuck out of the room early in the morning, while Joe was still dozing. They had been awake until the early hours of the morning, just talking. Joe was clever, and funny, and told stories with a passion unlike anyone else in Nicky’s life. Nicky thought that he could have gone for a third round that morning if he had stayed, but if he had done that, he would have stayed forever.

He caught a transport back to the shuttleport, hunched over himself in the shuttle with his hood pulled over his face. The other passengers were the usual early morning mix of partygoers coming home from a late night, and workers too low on the food chain to negotiate a more reasonable starting hour. It was only when he was getting off the shuttle that Nicky remembered that he had forgotten to pay Joe back for his torn shirt. 

With a stab of guilt, he pulled out his comm and called Andy. She was clearly just waking up, hair tousled in the video display.

“What?” 

“Good morning to you too, Andy. Is Quynh there?”

“You called me to talk to Quynh? What makes you think we’d be together?”

“Was I wrong?”

“You weren’t.” Quynh appeared on the video, waving, looking far too put-together for this early in the morning. “Hello, Nicky. How are you this morning?”

“I had a great night, thanks for hosting,” said Nicky, as politely as he could manage at this hour. “Listen, did you happen to see the man I left with? He said his name was Joe.”

“The name doesn’t sound familiar,” Quynh said. “Didn’t get his link?” 

Nicky shook his head. “I accidentally tore his… his shirt.” He considered trying to find a way to make it sound less scandalous, and gave up. Quynh would see right through that anyway. “I forgot to pay him back before I left.”

“If anyone files a complaint over a lost shirt, I’ll send them your way.” Quynh sounded amused. 

Nicky winced at the idea. “This was definitely a one-night thing,” he said, despite the pang at the idea. He pushed back the memory of waking up wrapped in Joe’s arms. It couldn’t happen again. “If you can cover it, I’ll pay you back.” 

“You don’t want to see him again?” 

“It doesn’t matter what I want,” said Nicky. “My family has plans for me, apparently.” 

In the background, he heard Andy make a sympathetic noise. He had meant for it to be a joke, but he felt his throat burning suddenly at her concern. “Anyway,” he said. “I need to go.” He disconnected before either of them could ask him if he was okay.

His family’s estate was on the outskirts of town. He let the bioscanners at the from gates scan him, and shouldered his way in, only to come face to face with his brother Santino. Nicky sighed. 

“Where were you?” Santino asked. “Mom is furious.” 

“Good morning, Santino. Glad to see you. Are you and Gianna joining us for breakfast?”

Santino snorted. “My lovely wife is the only reason I’m not here for your execution. She’s been calming our mother down ever since you didn’t show up last night.Where _were_ you?” 

“I was otherwise engaged.” Nicky made it to the front door, his brother hot on his heels. 

Before Santino could retort, he opened the door. Their oldest brother, Lorenzo, was standing at the top of the front stairs. 

“Nicky,” he said. “I thought I heard your voice. Mother wants to speak with you.” 

Nicky glanced behind him, but Santino didn’t seem inclined to back him up. With a sigh, he slumped into the house and made his way up the stairs. His sister-in-law was waiting just outside of their mother’s office. She shot him a sympathetic look, kissed him on the cheek, and went downstairs to join her husband. Hopefully she would be able to keep them from listening at the door while he got yelled at, they were all too old for this.

“Good morning, mother,” Nicky said, opening the door. 

His mother was sitting at her desk, although she wasn’t looking at any of the displays in front of her. Instead, she was staring at the ceiling, looking exhausted, although her eyes snapped onto his face with an alert sharpness as soon as she heard him enter. 

“You are a very lucky young man, Nicolò,” she said. “Yusuf al-Kaysani took ill last night and was unable to attend the banquet. His parents believed that you made yourself scarce to avoid meeting anyone else who might have designs on you.”

“Designs?” Nicky asked. She gave him an annoyed look.

“Don’t pretend that you don’t know what I mean, Nico. You are the only unmarried son of the di Genova line. You cannot underestimate the importance of the person you choose to tie yourself to.”

Nicky flopped down on the couch behind her desk. “For your political career?” he asked.

She glared at him. “For all of us. Have you looked up Yusuf al-Kaysani?”

“Didn’t get around to it,” said Nicky.

“He’s human.” 

This brought Nicky up short. He sat up, looking into his mother’s eyes. She wasn’t joking, he realized. 

He chose his words carefully. “You’ve always said that it was important that we stayed within the community. That there are few enough Kaflians left off the home planet, and humans are suspicious of us, so we have to stick together.”

“Well, that’s all about to change,” his mother said. “With your marriage, Al-Kaysani Industries will have a direct tie to Kaflia. This will be the perfect opportunity for them to expand their business there. And since their business is transportation technology, there will be open travel between our people and human-dominated systems for the first time in generations.”

She got up and moved to sit next to him on the couch, resting her hands on his knees. “You know how hard it was for your father to reject his human side, to fully embrace Kaflian culture.”

To reject his mother, the human dancer from Chelos VI, who had brought her only son up in the culture his father demanded, without a word of complaint. Nicky still remembered the way she would smile when he danced with her. “My own meagre contribution to your lineage,” she had said once. None of them had ever cared about her humanity, but this small child had at least wanted to learn how to dance. 

“They did it all for us, so we could know our roots but stay hidden in human society,” Nicky recited. He’d heard it often enough. 

His mother nodded encouragingly. “And it paid off. Lords, when I first came here, the projectors we had to wear to keep up human appearance would give you such a headache. I could barely stand four hours with the thing. Now, you and your brothers can wear them for days at a time without discomfort.”

“But not forever,” said Nicky. “If I married a human, he’d figure it out eventually.” 

She shrugged. “A small price to pay for the opportunities it would bring for our people.”

“Mother-“

“Gianna’s pregnant.” 

He stopped. “What?”

“You’re going to be an uncle,” she said. “Imagine the world this child could grow up in. Traveling home to Kaflia whenever it wishes. Perhaps even growing up without hiding its true form. That is what we’re fighting for, Nico.”

Nicky knew when he was being manipulated. His mother had built her career out of this sort of thing. But imagining if there was regular transportation to non-human systems- maybe being manipulated into a marriage of convenience wouldn’t be so bad. 

He had never been to Kaflia. Most of their kind who lived among humans wore projectors at all time, disguised as bracelets or necklaces usually, to project a human form. The war had ended generations ago, of course, but humans historically hadn’t taken too kindly to the thought of aliens living among them, so it was always best to be careful. After their people had retreated and the borders had closed, the few Kaflians trapped in human-controlled space became insular, protective, willing to do anything to protect their secrets. The families that had grown out of those abandoned by their homeland carried on that legacy of secrecy. 

He remembered Joe’s smile the night before, the soft way he spoke of his own family. Nicky would have given anything for that easy affection, that unguarded life. For just a moment, as the sun rose and he looked at the sleeping form next to him, he had thought he was falling in love. 

But at the end of the day, he loved his family, his people, more. 

“I’ll do it,” he said. His voice came out tired and resigned even to his own ears. 

His mother just smiled at him, like she had always known he would say yes. “We’re meeting them for dinner at their estate tonight,” she said, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "His father says to expect a proposal by the end of the week, if tonight goes well. You’ll grow to love him, Nico. You will.”

**

“I’m not proposing to him,” Yusuf said. Their guests were already in the transport, and Amira huffed a little at the continuation of the argument. 

He had tried every excuse he could think of. He had even claimed to already be in love, hoping his father’s romantic side would win out. If the image of Nico’s smile cropped into his mind then, well, no one needed to know. But his father had held firm. If this mythological boyfriend turned up before he met the di Genova boy, they could claim he was already engaged, and offer Amira as an alternative. Amira was furious at the suggestion, but their father’s sources said the boy was gay, so she would probably (probably) be turned down. 

“I’ve given you a week to propose,” his father said. “If you can’t bring yourself to do your duty, you clearly are not fit for the role I’ve been preparing you for your entire life.”

He knew well enough to expect this, but it still felt like he’d been struck. Amira made a noise of protest. She didn’t want to be next in line any more than he wanted to be cut off. 

There was commotion soon enough, indicating that their guests had arrived. Their father went out to greet them, shooting Yusuf a look that said that if he tried anything, he’d be paying for it. Yusuf huffed a sigh, squeezing Amira’s hand as she followed at her own pace. 

He lingered in the hallway a moment longer than he had to. And that’s when he saw Nico. 

For one wild moment, Yusuf thought of his father’s ultimatum. His true love, turning up on the day he was due to meet his intended, some secretive old money despot, a last-minute confession and he would be whisked away. It was impossible, it was romantic, it was absolutely ridiculous in real life. 

“What are you doing here?” he hissed, crossing the hall in three long steps. Nico looked up at him, his eyes wide. “How did you find out?”

“Joe?” It was only then that he realized that Nico looked genuinely confused. “What are you doing here? Do- do you work here, or…” he trailed off, taking note of Yusuf’s clothes. Yusuf could see the moment when it all clicked, and it would have been hilarious if the door wasn’t about to open. He threw himself back into the stairwell, just in time for a man he didn’t recognize to hustle out and spot Nico.

“Nicky,” he hissed. “Get in here, it’s about to start.”

Nicky? Nicolò di Genova, he remembered. His father had just been referring to his intended as “the boy,” Yusuf had nearly forgotten his name. He’d certainly never connected it to Nico.

Nico- Nicolò- _Nicky_ shot a backwards glance towards Yusuf when the other man wasn’t looking before he was shuffled into the dining room. Yusuf breathed a sigh of relief. And then, with nothing else to do but brace himself, he waited thirty seconds and walked through the door.

Everyone looked up when he entered the room. Yusuf was used to that, but it still made for a twist of anxiety in his stomach. He found his father among the group, talking to a middle-aged woman, and bowed. 

“I would like to present my son,” Yusuf’s father said, and then it was a blur of introductions that he paid little to no attention to. It was appropriate both for the family line and for the situation that the youngest son was introduced last. 

“And finally, my youngest, Nicolò,” the woman said, and she waved him to come forward. Nico did, and he looked like he was going to be sick. 

Joe bowed deeply, taking his hand to kiss it. “Yusuf al-Kaysani,” he said, pitching his voice low. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Likewise,” Nico said.

It was almost expected that he wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off his intended, so Yusuf didn’t feel too bad about staring. 

They took their seats then, and of course, Yusuf was seated next to Nico, at the far end of the table. The others were watching them, and the weight of all those eyes and ears made Yusuf nervous. He went to pour Nico some wine, and spilled it on the tablecloth. 

“My apologies,” he said automatically, even as one of the robots zoomed in to whisk the liquid away and dry the cloth before it could stain. 

“No offense taken,” Nico said. He hesitated. “A friend of mine knows a trick for pouring Andosian ale.”

“It’s a pity he couldn’t be here with us, then,” said Yusuf. Nico gave him a shy half smile. 

When they finished dinner, Yusuf stood up and offered his arm. “Would you like to join me for a walk in the gardens?”

“I would love to,” Nico said, taking his hand. Yusuf tried to ignore the looks their families were giving them.

No one followed them as they made their way into the garden. Yusuf waited until they were out of sight of the cameras- a trick he knew well by this age- and then nodded. 

“Did you know who I was when you went to that party?” Yusuf asked bluntly.

“I was about to ask you the same question,” said Nico. Nicolò.

“You told me you were going through a bad breakup.”

“I said something _like_ a breakup. Arranged marriage is close enough.” 

Yusuf laughed. “Maybe,” he said. “Nico, do you- do you _want_ to go through with this?”

Nico shrugged. “My family could use the connections,” he said carefully. 

They looked at each other for a moment that felt like it stretched on and on. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” Yusuf asked finally. Nico looked away. 

“Should we go for a walk tomorrow?” Nico asked, somewhat desperately.

Yusuf raised his eyebrows. “Would that be conservative enough for your family? Not too scandalous for us to be alone?”

“Well, they are hoping you’ll propose within a week, so we have to have _some_ alone time.”

“True enough.” Yusuf laughed. “Well, I _propose_ we take a walk tomorrow, around ten? And we can talk.” 

“I would like that,” said Nico. He smiled shyly, squeezing Yusuf’s hand, and Yusuf felt his stomach do an unfamiliar swooping motion at the touch.

“I’ll set all the clocks in the city to run fast, just to shorten our time apart,” Yusuf vowed.

**

The next morning couldn’t come soon enough. Yusuf sent Nicky the name of the park where they should meet and Nicky, for his part, tried to ignore his family’s barely-concealed delight at how the meeting had gone. 

The idea was to wait until after they were married to tell the truth. That had been a good plan when it was a stranger, but when it was Joe, Nicky couldn’t stand the thought of lying to him any longer.

And so he got to the appointed meeting place just before nine, and paced back and forth for a good fifteen minutes before Joe- Yusuf arrived.

“You’re early.”

“So are you,” Nicky pointed out. “Nearly an hour.”

Yusuf smiled bright enough to light up a dozen suns. “Well, shall we walk?”

They walked together arm in arm. Yusuf had chosen a quiet park, private, perfect for a quiet talk. Still, Nicky was feeling ill at ease, and he was sure that the handsome man on his arm could feel it. It took three tries before he managed to speak. 

“Do you really want to marry me?” he asked finally. 

Yusuf stopped. They were in a private little cranny next to a water feature that was probably beautiful if you weren’t too distracted by your anxiety. “I don’t _not_ want to marry you,” he said carefully. 

“Are you sure? Because,” and this was the part he didn’t want to say, “If you _do_ not-want to marry me, I think I have a way to get you out of it without anyone losing face.”

He could feel Yusuf studying him carefully, and tried not to move. “My parents want me to marry,” Yusuf said finally. “Your family has connections, so you are the one they have their eyes on, but if you and I don’t get married, there will be someone else. And I know we’ve only just met, but I do like you, Nico.”

Nicky ducked his head. “No one but you and my family calls me that,” he found himself saying. 

Yusuf was very close to him. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” Nicky said. “I want you to take me home and call me whatever you like and repeat what we did two nights ago, plus an eternity more. But I also know we need to talk.”

“Alright.” Yusuf took a step back, as if that was enough to make it so Nico couldn’t feel the heat of his body, couldn’t see the warmth of his eyes. “Let’s talk.” 

And that was even worse, because Yusuf was still so close to him, and he was looking directly at him, and he still had to speak.

“Do you know where my family is from?”

If this seemed like a non-sequitur to Yusuf, he didn’t show it. “Di Genova, so I assume the European region of Earth. Is that incorrect?”

“It is,” said Nicky. “I think I told you my grandmother was a dancer from Chelos VIII. My grandfather, though, and all the rest of the family, are from Kaflia.”

“Kaflia?” Yusuf asked. He stared at Nicky, but he didn’t take another step back. “But you… you look human.”

Nicky held out his arm. “This bracelet,” he said. “When the war ended, one hundred and fifty years ago, there were two, maybe three dozen Kaflians who were in human territories when the borders closed. Some were spies, some were just trading, but the result was the same. The Kaflian government had created these devices, portable projectors, which created the appearance of humanity.”

“The Kaflian project,” Yusuf breathed. “That was the connection The Company was pursuing.” 

“Your father doesn’t know,” said Nicky. “He knows there is a connection, but not what we are. My family has been very secretive.”

“So you want me to keep this a secret.” 

Nicky licked his lips, almost compulsive. “If you can,” he said. “Of course, you could also tell your father. Tell him you can’t stand to be married to a horrifying monster like me. He would understand.”

With one step, Yusuf closed the gap between them. He cupped his hand around the back of Nicky’s head, and for a moment, they were just standing there, the two of them, so close they were breathing the same air. Then Yusuf kissed him, hard and firm, leaving no room for doubt, but the same gentle tease Nicky remembered.

“I have an apartment,” Yusuf said, when they broke apart. “Not too far from here. We could talk more privately.”

“Talk?”

“Among other things.” Yusuf kissed him again. “We’ll talk. And maybe for a bit we’ll talk without our clothes. Or not talk, as the case may be. And maybe we’ll talk, or not, without our jewelry.” 

It took Nicky a moment to realize that Yusuf was circling his fingers around his wrist, right above where the bracelet sat. He was sure that with that touch, Yusuf could hear his heart speed up. 

“Lead the way, then,” he said, in what he hoped was a flirtatious manner. Whether it worked or not, the smile that crossed Yusuf’s face didn’t lie.

*

The apartment Yusuf kept in the city was close to the park, and he would be lying if he said that it wasn’t one of the reasons he had chosen this particular location for their walk. As soon as the door was closed behind them, he was shoved up against it, Nicky’s mouth hot and fierce against his. He tried to pour everything he couldn’t say into that kiss, and from the way Nicky kissed him back, he knew.

“Take this off,” Yusuf ordered, tugging at Nicky’s jacket. Nicky complied, and let his shirt follow. He paused when it caught on his bracelet. 

“You don’t have to,” Yusuf said, following his eyes. 

“I want to.” Nicky hesitated. “You may want to stand back, though.” 

Yusuf glanced behind him, where his back was pressed up against the door. Nicky laughed. “Right,” he said, and took two steps further back. 

His fingers caught open the clasp, but his eyes never left Yusuf’s face. Even as he dropped his disguise, he didn’t look away. 

Nicky’s other form- his true form, Yusuf supposed- was, without overstating it, the most beautiful thing that Yusuf had ever seen. He had seen pictures of Kaflians in textbooks before, but none of them did his beauty any justice. His skin was the same dark blue-green as his human eyes, but his eyes were a warm orange, brighter than any jewel. He somehow seemed even taller now, his limbs longer. And _more_. Yusuf only realized he was staring at the naked flesh before him when one of the arms- was it an arm? It didn’t have a hand, and moved fluidly, like a cat’s tail- reached out and touched the back of his hand.

He looked up, and Nicky was still watching him. He looked, if anything, even steadier in this form than he ever had as a human. 

“You’re beautiful,” Yusuf breathed. Nicky looked shy, taken aback maybe, it was hard to tell with this alien face, but there was no questioning how he kissed him. Yusuf raised a hand, cupping it around the back of Nicky’s head, and froze when the other man flinched. 

“Ow.”

“Are you okay?” He was relieved when Nicky nodded. 

“Finger in my eye.” 

“In your…?” Yusuf paused. “Do you have eyes in the back of your head?”

Nicky laughed. “Just one, but yeah.” He turned a bit so that Yusuf could see. It was watering a little, but still beautiful.

He pressed a kiss right next to the eye. “Can you see?” he asked.

Nicky turned around. “I can,” he said, “although I try not to look much, people tend to notice if you look at things without turning around.”

“That must be difficult.” 

“I wore a lot of hats as a child.”

The image of serious, bright-eyed baby Nicolò wearing a hat pulled down over the back of his head was enough to make Yusuf grin. “As your future fiancé, I believe I am entitled to see those pictures,” he said seriously. “I’m sure you were adorable, in whichever form.” 

It took him a moment to realize that the darker patches of blue on Nicky’s face was a blush. “As you are now,” he added, just to see if he could make that color deepen. (He could.) 

“Two nights ago you asked me to do something for you,” Nicky said. His voice was deeper, and his eyes unwavering as he stepped closer. “Would you like me to do that now?”

It took Yusuf a minute to think of what he could mean. Then he remembered, spotting Nico across the room, being kissed in a dark corner, wondering if this stranger could fuck him against the wall. 

One of those long… limbs? tails? tentacles? was already wrapping around his thigh. Nicky looked at him. 

“If you want me to stop-” he began.

Yusuf reached down, touching the limb gently. It was warm, and he thought he could feel a pulse beneath the skin, Nicolò’s need urging him onwards. He stripped naked quickly, then took Nicky’s face in his hands (more gently this time) and kissed him.

He barely felt his feet leave the ground, he was so lost in the sensation of their kiss. Kaflians, he discovered, had split tongues, and despite apparently spending most of his time in human form, Nicky knew how to use his. He also held Yusuf up like he weighed nothing, pinning him against the wall of his apartment so tightly that he couldn’t have moved if he had wanted to. Something warm and wet teased against his hole- god, it felt like a _tongue_ , but Nico’s tongue was in his mouth, and Yusuf’s eyes were squeezed so tightly shut that he couldn’t see. He was distantly aware that he was making a soft “ah, ah, _ah_ ” noise, which seemed to drive Nico even closer to him.

A hand ran down his chest, fingers tweaking his nipples, and Yusuf cried out. “Nico!”

Nicolò froze. “Do you want me to put you down?”

“Don’t you _dare_ ,” Yusuf panted. 

Nico kissed him gently, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue. “I’m going to add another, is that okay?”

His neck hurt from how hard he was nodding. Another one of those -okay, they were tentacles, he was fucking tentacles- teased his rim, and Yusuf gasped. His legs were free now, Nico’s limbs reaching their limit, and he crossed his ankles around Nico’s body just to feel his warmth against him. He was sure he could feel Nico’s pulse across every inch of his skin. His kiss was dizzying, and Yusuf thought there was something there- feeling his pulse through his skin, feeling his breath through their kiss, alive where they were intertwined- but all he could think about was the feeling of their bodies moving together.

Somewhere deep in the overwhelmed recesses of his mind, he was aware he was speaking, repeating “Nico, Nico, _please_ , and Nico was pressing kisses to every part of him he could reach, repeating “anything, anything” like a confession.

“Touch me,” Yusuf said, despite the fact that they were already touching everywhere they could possibly touch, and what he really wanted to say was that if he didn’t feel Nico’s hand on his cock right now he was going to die. Nico seemed to understand, though, because he released Yusuf’s arm to wrap one tentacle around his shaft, and it was like nothing Yusuf had ever felt before. 

He fell apart in Nico’s many arms, not bothering to stifle his cries. When he had read about the war, generations ago now, he had never thought to wonder what it felt like when a Kaflian came inside you- and what an oversight that was. The warmth that spread inside of him as Nico groaned his pleasure against Yusuf’s neck was something he should have spent his whole life dreaming about. He would recommend it across the galaxy if he wasn’t so intent on keeping Nico for himself.

Slowly, Nico lowered him to the ground. Yusuf groaned when his feet hit the floor, trying to straighten up as best he could, although he leaned hard against Nico. 

“Are you alright?” 

He nodded. “Bedroom’s that way,” he said. “I need to lay down.”

The breathy little laugh in his ear told him everything he needed to know about Nicky’s reaction to that, but he half-carried Yusuf to bed and laid him down. 

It took a few minutes to get them both cleaned up, but eventually they found their way under the covers, Nicky’s long limbs wrapped around Yusuf’s exhausted body. 

Yusuf laughed. “And here you thought this would be the excuse I needed not to marry you.”

He could feel Nicky smiling against him. 

“We could be friends, you know,” Nicky said, after a moment. “If we do marry, and it doesn’t work out. I know we’ve only just met, but… if I’m going to marry, and it’s not for love…” 

A heart was beating abnormally fast. Yusuf couldn’t tell if it was his or Nico’s. 

“We’ve only known each other for two days, and I know this is absurd. But I would marry you without hesitation, Nico.” He rolled over to face him, eyes tracing delicate blue-green features. “Is it too early to say that I love you?” 

“Far too early,” Nicky said seriously. “And I love you too.” 

**

Their parents were delighted when the engagement was announced. It was a rush of preparations from the start, and Nicky barely had time to see Yusuf except when they were planning. Their parents did most of the arrangements, but somehow it still felt like he didn’t have a single free moment.

“It’s for a good cause,” his mother told him, when she saw him looking despondent. Maybe she thought he was regretting his engagement, not missing his love. “With this new transport line the al-Kaysanis are developing, humans and Kaflians will finally have a chance to meet peacefully. One day we might even be able to show our true forms in public.”

“One day?” Nicky asked. “I thought the whole point of this was to bond humans and Kaflians.”

She smiled sadly. “Change is slow, Nicolò. The transport project will take at least ten years to complete, perhaps longer if our homeworld government doesn’t cooperate. And then there will be negotiations, and a slow cultural shift. I may not see it in my lifetime. Perhaps not even you will live to see what we can become. But we are making a start, Nico, and that’s what matters.”

Later that night, he snuck out of the house (regardless of what Nile would say about him being an adult and able to leave whenever he wanted, it still felt like sneaking) and down to Yusuf’s apartment. Even later, lying on the bed that was too small for his Kaflian limbs, he told Yusuf about what his mother had said. 

“She’s probably right, unfortunately,” Yusuf said. He ran a gentle hand down Nico’s back. “But that doesn’t mean we have to do it that way. And you know I’ll be happy with whatever you do. As long as it includes the two of us spending the rest of our lives together.”

On the day of their wedding, Nicky paced in the little room they had set aside for him. Yusuf was already at the altar, Andy told him, but there was still time before he was set to join him when his sister in law nudged her way into the room. She hugged him almost immediately.

“I know you’re almost ready, I’ll be quick,” Gianna said. “I just wanted to say thank you for what you’re doing. From me, and from my sons.” 

“Sons?” 

She smiled, resting a hand on her stomach. “Twins. We just found out yesterday.” Nicky had never seen her so happy. “And your mother told me about her plans for the transportation project, a new alliance, and I thought- maybe when they’re grown, there will be peace between our people.”

“It shouldn’t have to take that long,” Nicky said. “I wish they could be born into a world at peace.”

“Change is slow, Nico,” Gianna said.

He toyed with the clasp of his bracelet. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be.”

Later, Nile would show him the pictures of the ceremony, and they would laugh together at the looks of shock and confusion on the guests’ faces, at how not a one of them seemed to know what to do. But as he walked down the aisle in his true form, all Nicky could see was the love in Yusuf’s eyes.


End file.
